Foakes came into the side in place of Jonny Bairstow, whom Bayliss has challenged to further prove his credentials at first drop in the Caribbean.

Bairstow missed the first Test through injury and was not selected in the second Test in Kandy as England opted to keep a winning side intact. With the series already won by the time they travelled to Colombo, Bairstow was trialled a No.3, where he produced an emotional hundred.

His positive remarks didn’t quite extend to openers Keaton Jennings and Rory Burns, hinting that they still have it all to prove at the top of the order. Burns returned 155 runs at 25.83 in the three matches, while a rejuvenated Jennings, who averaged 18.11 in five Tests against India last summer, returned 233 runs at 46.60.

Asked whether the duo could be guaranteed of their places at the peak of England’s batting line-up for the foreseeable, Bayliss told Sky Sports: “I probably don’t think so. Obviously statistics will tell a story there – they are still both fairly young in the Test game and have shown some good character in the way they’ve gone about it. It’s been exceptional at times.

“But in the end, for every one of the XI, runs and wickets count.”